WEBVTT
CIETY, PUBLIC
MOINES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
NO DIFFERENT.
YOU WON'T FIND RICK ERICKSON
WITHOUT ABBY.
>> SHE HELPED ME REMAIN
GROUNDED, SHE HELPED ME DURING
STRESSFUL SITUATIONS TO FOCUS ON
HER.
MARK: THIS ARMY VETERAN WHO
SERVED IN DESERT STORM WAS
DIAGNOSED WITH PTSD IN 2011 AND
RECEIVED HIS SERVICE DOG LAST
YEAR.
>> SERVICE DOGS ARE A MEDICAL
TOOL FOR PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES TO NAVIGATE LIF
MARK: NAVIGATING AIRPORTS JUST
BECAME A LITTLE EASIER FOR RICK
AND OTHERS WITH SERVICE DOGS.
NEW FEDERAL RULES REQUIRE
AIRPORTS TO PROVIDE AN AREA
WHERE SERVICE DOGS CAN RELIEVE
THEMSELVES.
THE NEW DOGGY RELIEF STATI AT
THE DES MOINES AIRPORT IS JUST
OUTSIDE THE TERMINAL.
TYPICALLY, AIRPORTS THIS SIZE
ARE ASKED TO HAVE A DOGGY RELIEF
ROOM INSIDE THE TERMINAL AFTER
SECURITY.
BUT, DES MOINES RECEIVED A
WAIVER FROM A LOCAL SERVICE DOG
ORGANIZATION.
>> MOST DOGS THAT ARE COMING IN
FROM OTHER LOCATIONS, MOST OF
THE TIME WILL HAVE HAD AN
OPPORTUNITY TO RELIEVE
THEMSELVES IN SOME OTHER
LOCATION WITHIN 4 HOURS.
MARK: THE HEAD OF THE NON-PROFIT
PAWS AND EFFECT DECIDING THE
OUTDOOR AREA WAS ENOUGH SAVED
THE AIRPORT AUT $96,000 IN
COSTS.
>> THE MINOR REQUEST THEY HAD
SAVED US A FAIR AMOUNT OF MONEY
AND IT'S REASONABLE
MARK: IF YOU'RE WONDERING IF A
LITTLE FENCED IN PATCH OF GRAS
MAKES ANY DIFFERENCE YOU
, PROBABLY HAVEN'T FLOWN WITH A
DOG.
>> YOU'RE ALMOST IN A PANIC AT
TIMES, YOU'RE WORRED ABOUT YOUR
SERVICE DOG ANIMAL, THAT THEY
MIGHT HAVE TO GO TO THE RESTROOM
.

The Des Moines International Airport has a new restroom, but it is outside and is not for people.

As service dogs become more and more accepted as forms of therapy in society, public places are adapting. The Des Moines International Airport is no different.

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You won't find Rick Erickson without his service dog, Abbey. Erickson, an army veteran who served in Operation Desert Storm, was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder in 2011 and received his service dog last year.

"Service dogs are a medical tool for people with disabilities to navigate life," Erickson said.

Navigating airports just became a little easier for Erickson and others with service dogs. New federal rules now require airports to provide an area where service dogs can relieve themselves.

Typically, larger airports are asked to have a dog-relief room inside the terminal after security.

Des Moines received a waiver from a local service dog organization allowing them to place their relief station in a different location. The Des Moines International Airport's new dog-relief station is located just outside the terminal.

"When we started to review all the flight statistics here at Des Moines we were finding that most dogs that were coming in from other locations, most of the time will have had an opportunity to relieve themselves in some other location within four hours," said Nichole Shumate, of nonprofit Paws and Effect.

Paws and Effect decided the outdoor area was enough, saving the airport about $96,000.

Erickson said the new dog-relief area will make a difference during future flights with Abbey.

"You're almost in a panic at times," Erickson said. "You're worried about your service dog animal -- that they might have to go to the restroom. It's highly embarrassing when that happens, so you are in a panic trying to find an area."

The airport also has installed several cleaning stations throughout the terminal in case of accidents.